Welcome back, Mavericks. I can't believe we've started another school year. Time flies when you're preparing to win championships, and that's what we're all about here at UT Arlington. The 2013-14 academic year, our first in the Sun Belt Conference, promises to be special and we're inviting all Mavericks to be a part of the championships to come.

The first serve as a Sun Belt member comes via volleyball at the 2013 UTA Hilton Invitational. Your Mavericks will face Abilene Christian on Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. CT at College Park Center in the first match of the season. The CPC schedule also includes the Hilton Maverick Classic and the opening of conference play Sept. 27 against Louisiana-Monroe.

Head coach Diane Seymour welcomes back 10 returners along, including five starters, with four newcomers. Tickets for all of our matches at College Park Center are $5 for the general public and $3 for students.

Speaking of tickets, season packages are also on sale for men's and women's basketball at UTATickets.com. We've also brought back the popular All Sports Pass for UTA students, a $25 package that includes all of our ticketed sporting events – volleyball, men's and women's basketball, softball and baseball. That's over 100 games for just $25. Get more info here.

A few days before the start of classes, a new tradition for UT Arlington student-athletes was born. We awarded 156 current and former student-athletes with letter jackets at the inaugural UTA Letterwinner Association presentation at College Park Center. We're building pride within our student-athletes and a lifelong bond with our University. Read more about the ceremony here.

Volleyball isn't the only sport starting up in the next few weeks. Men's golf is primed for an outstanding season with one of the deepest squads in the coach Jay Rees' tenure. A number of UT Arlington golfers had outstanding summers, including Riley Fleming winning a pair of tournaments and Cash Wilkerson winning the Collegiate Players Tour National Championship. The compete golf schedule is here.

With nearly every key individual returning from last year's regionally-ranked men's and women's cross country teams, both squads figure to enjoy strong campaigns again this year. The men's squad, which won the Western Athletic Conference crown last year, is seeking back-to-back conference titles for the first time in school history. Meanwhile, the women expect to be strong contenders in their inaugural season in the Sun Belt. Their schedules are here.

And don't forget that the Maverick Club directly benefits all of our student-athletes, enabling them to reach their potential and win championships. This promises to be another special year for UT Arlington Athletics. Join us for the ride!